CULVER CITY, CA – September 24, 2019 – Sony Pictures Television, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., and Aniplex Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., today announced they have combined multiple Sony-owned Anime streaming businesses. France’s Wakanim, Australia’s Madman Anime Group and US-based Funimation will form a joint venture to be owned by Aniplex and Sony Pictures Television. The venture will be led by Funimation’s General Manager, Colin Decker.
Under this structure, Funimation will acquire and distribute Anime content from Japan across this global portfolio of brands, each with deep regional expertise in serving fans. Now with a larger global footprint, the combined businesses will expand their 360° / multi-channel approach to fan engagement that spans home entertainment, theatrical distribution, live events and merchandising.
As the first project of this union, Funimation will be the exclusive(*) streaming home of the latest installment in the Fate/Grand Order series for one month. On October 5, Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia will be simulcast in the US on FunimationNow and will launch on Wakanim and Madman Anime Group’s AnimeLab in their respective territories. Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia is the first television animation series of the Fate/Grand Order mobile game, a global phenomenon which has been recognized as one of the most successful mobile games in the world with over 41 million downloads worldwide.